Stationary or mobile suction systems are used in the medical field to aspirate body fluids or secretions from body cavities or wounds, particularly in thorax drainage. These systems in each case comprise a suction source, for example a vacuum pump or a central vacuum, and one or more drainage containers. A vacuum line connects the drainage container to the suction source, and a drainage line leads from the drainage container to the patient. The applied vacuum generates an underpressure in the container, and the liquid that is to be aspirated, or the secretion that is to be aspirated, is aspirated from the patient into the drainage container and collected there. The drainage container can be rigid or designed as a flexible bag. The bag can in turn be arranged in a rigid outer container that can be closed in an airtight manner.
A container filled with aspirated body fluid, in particular blood, or with secretion has to be disposed of in the correct way. However, during transport and disposal of the container, there is a danger of fluid escaping, for example if the container was not closed sufficiently tightly. In order to minimize the risk of infection, it is therefore known, in the prior art, to already solidify the collected fluid in the container. Solidifying agents for this are disclosed, for example, in EP-A-0 839 539 and US 2007/0185366.
Various devices are known for introducing these solidifying agents into the container only at the time of use. For example, EP-A-0 668 084 discloses a drainage device with a rigid outer container, and with a flexible inner bag mounted on a lid that closes the outer container. A vacuum connection for connecting to a suction source and a drainage connection for connecting to a patient hose are present in the lid. Arranged on the drainage connection, facing toward the inside of the bag, there is a container that holds a solidifying and disinfecting agent. The container is opened automatically when the vacuum is applied.
EP-A-1 642 603 describes a drainage bag with a container arranged therein for a coagulating agent. The container is soluble in water and dissolves upon contact with an aspirated body fluid, such that the coagulating agent is released into the drainage bag.
JP 5329471 discloses a drainage container with a lid, wherein a suction connection and vacuum connection are present in the lid. A chamber filled with a solidifying agent is additionally present in the lid. The solidifying agent can be conveyed out of the chamber into the drainage container by means of a ram, in order thereby to bind the body fluid aspirated into the container.
JP 7060231 also discloses a drainage container with lid and with a chamber mounted thereon, wherein the chamber in turn contains a solidifying agent. A plug closes an opening of the chamber leading into the drainage container. This plug can be pressed downward by a lever that can be actuated from the outside, such that the opening is freed and the solidifying agent can pass into the drainage container.
JP 7303875 likewise discloses a chamber mounted on a drainage container and holding a thickening agent, the chamber being able to be opened via a relatively complicated mechanism that can be actuated manually from the outside.
These known devices are of relatively complicated construction and are accordingly expensive to produce. The chambers mounted on the outside also have the disadvantage that they get in the way during storage and transport of the container and can also be easily damaged.